Trackless trolley.



l c. A.l AHL. TRAGKLESS TROLLEY. APPL'IOATION FILED 0OT.25, 1909.

' Patented Jan.9, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

47 411/63.' 5J, y l

,WITNESSES l moneys A.

c. A. AHL. TBA'cKLBss TROLLEY. APPLIOATIONIILED ooT.z5, 1909.*

Patented Jan. 9, 1912. E Il ssamm-snm e.

Kfm.

WITNESSES UniTnn sTaTns TaTnNT ernten.

CHARLES A. AHL, OF SALEM, NEW JERSEY.`

TRAcKLEss TROLLEY;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented lJani 9,1912.

Application filed Gctober 25, 1909. Serial No. 524,371. f

To all whom it may concern,

Be it known that I. CHARLES AHL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Salem, in the county oit' Salem and State or omnibus is connected by a flexible trolley with an overhead trolley wire or wires, and on account Aof the flexibility of the trolley cord the vehicle can deviate from a course directly under the trolley wire without disconnecting the trolley shoe which runs upon th'e trolley wire or wires.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved construction which will facilitate the exchange of the trolley ,poles of two vehicles which may meet. ln this way I get substantially the same effect as though thev trolley shoes were arranged so that they could pass each other.

A further object of the invention is to improve `the construction of the shoe so as to facilitate its bein0V alaced on .the trolleyYV s l con- Wires, and' to improve the details of the struction in other` particulars. ,A

The invention consists in the construction and combination' oil-parts to be described inore fully hereinafter-'and particularly set-f orthin the claims.

Reference is to be had vto the accompany-r ing drawings forming av part of this speciication, in which siniilai` characters ot' reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures. i

-. Figure l is aperspective illustrating the manner in which the invention is applied iii practice; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal 'section through the trolley shoe in a vertical plane,

a swivel below the shoe being shown partly in elevation; Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section of the shoe and showing the swivel head -and its contiguous parts also in cross section, in this vieu-"the shoe is Jshown in dotted outline in a tilted position to illustrate the inannei in which it is applied' to the trolley= wire; F ig. 4 is a Ifront elevation of' the trol-- ley post and showing the trolley pole attached thereto, vinthis connection it should be understood thatthe trolley polejWhich-- carries the lower end of the trolley cord is detachable from the post, the post being pei'- iiiaiientl y secured to the vehicle, in this view certain parts are broken away and shown in section; Fig. is a side elevation and partial section ot the trolley post and pole, and further illustrating the means for detaehably sef curing the pole to the post; Fig. G is ay side elevation showing the trolley poleiabout to be attached to the post; Fig. 7 is a plan of the shoe and the flexible trolley corchand indicating the means by which be shortened when desired.

Referring more particularly to the parts,

and especially to Fig. l, 1 represents a car or omnibus to which the invention has been applied. At a suitable point on the roof of this vehicle a trolley post 2 is attached rig-y idly g said trolley post is clearly shown in Fig.

and 5. These sheaths are rigidly connectedby a channel plate 4 which extends longitudinally through the entire length oi the post, a'slindicated. The lower ends of these barrels or sheaths are open so as to permit the entrance of conductors 5 which extend upwardly through the interior -of the said barrelsl or sheaths throughout practically the entire length thereof, the upper ends ot the said conductors being attached to contact heads 6, as indicated in Figi These contact heads G have insulating blocks 7 in their upper ends, and the upper faces of the heads aie formed into concaved oi' (lished seats' 8, as illustrated. Near the lower end of the post, the sheaths 3 are provided with catch plates 9' whichV project toward each other sothat they hang over the channel or gutter forniedvby t-lie channel plate i.

Referring especially to Fig. '0, the trolley pole, l0 comprises a stem 1l, the lower end ot' which is provided witha handle 1Q, and near this handle a. colla-r 1.3 is rigidly attached to the stein. l This collar iscut away so `as to forni oppositely.disposed shoulders it extendinglongitiidinally of the stem, and between' these shoulders ll abroad longitudiiially extending rib l5 is formed. On the upper endetl the stern 1l, a trolley head 16 the cordl may (3. It comprisesa pair of parallel barrels or Y, sheatlis 3. as shown most clearly in Figs. 4

is mounted, lthe details of which are most clearly illustrated iii F igs. el and' 5. This trolley head Acomprises ay fixed plate li' on the end. of the stem, and through this plate guide bolts 1S pass loosely,'the lower ends of 4thesaid `bolts being secured iii-"a Spring plate 19. y On ldie under side of. this spring to the stem, as indicated. In the' bell mouths contacts 23 are provided which have rounded lower ends adapted to come upon the seats 8, aforesaid. These contacts 23 are held in position by insulating plugs or bush-i `ings 24, as indicated. Each of these contacts 23 is connected with one of the strands 25 of. the 'double trolley cord 26. Around the guide bolts 18, springs 27 are provided, the lower ends of which seat on the spring plate 19. upwardly against the under side'of the plate 17 andhold it against washers 28.11nder the 20 heads 29 which are lcarried by the upper ends ofthe bolts. The plates 1-7 and 19 Vare `furtherfeonnected by a lguide stud 30, the lower end of which is fixed in the plate 19. The upper portion'of the stud passes loosely' 25-through a guide opening" in the plate 17 of this Astud is formed with an eye 31, as shown. In addition to this the plate 17 is provided with a guide opening 32,-and the plate 19 is provided'wi'th a similar but larger guide opening 39. The purpose oL/these guide openings will presently appear. j

Referring again to the trolley posts, near their upper ends the sheaths 3 are connected by a saddle plate 40, and in this saddle plate The upper `'end there is attached a guide tongue-41 having a1 tapered vextremity which projects beyond the 'end of the post, as shown. The guide openings 32 and 39 are-in alinement with this tongue and are adapted to receive the tongue'when the trolley is-to be attached to the ost. gui e mouth 42 is provided, and this bell mouth operates/asa guidel in introducingthe'tongue .41' into the openings 39 and 32. In attaching the trolley pole to the ltrolley post, this tongue 41 is introduced, in the bell mouth 42 with the pole in about the position shown in Fig. 6. The pole is then -pulled downwardly and the lower end of the ypole is made to approach the .lower end of the post. This movement seats the bell ,/,mouths 'over the upper ends of the sheaths or barrels 3-and when the movement is conipleted, thecontacts 23 .will seat on the con.- tacts 6. This movement also compresses the springs 27. As the movement is completed the stem 11 is swung down into the channel of the channelv plate 4, and between the 00 sheaths or barrels 3. The collar 13l will then come just below the catch plates 9, and

when.. released the springs 27 will advance the stem upwardly Iso that the shoulders -14 will pass under the lower and inner edges f of the catch plates, as indicated most clearlyLA These springs normally thrust edge whichv enables Below the plate 19 a bell-shaped' head,

in Fig. 4. The springs will then retain the pole on the post, as will be readily understood. Then it is desired to disengage the pole it is only necessary to'reverse the movements just described. e

The linvention also comprises. a shoe 43,' thefbodyT ot' which is in the'form of a plate or block 44. of lwood or similar material. On4 its under side this shoe is formed with downwardly projecting guide plates 45 arranged in pairs, the loweredges ot theindividuals of the pairs being bent outwardly so as to form enlarged receiving throats 46. In the lupper part of these vcontact plates, and between each pair a friction roller 47 is mounted, against the under sides of which the4 trolley wires 48 and 49 are received, as will'be readily 'understood On the under side 'of `the block 44, a pair of hinge brackets 50 are attached, and between these brackets a catch head 51 is pivotally mounted on gudgeons 52 which are received in the hinge brackets 50. ,This catch head 51 is formed of sheet met-al. or similar material, and is of substantially circular lform. It is provided with a catch plate V53, the forward edge of which-is formed into a catch 54 which projects through an opening in the catch head. This catch 54 has a beveled it to snap into the opening of a keeper or keeper bracket 5-5 which is attached to the under side of the block, as indicated in Fig. 3. The rea-r end of the catch plate 53 is reducedso as'to form a ltail 56, and this tail slides in a guide lug 57 which projects up from the bottom of the catch head, as indicated. The catch 54 is removable relatively to the catch head and is guided by the engagement of the tail 56 with the lug 57 and the engagement of the catch 54 with the catch head when t-he catch extends through the catch head. Acoiled compression spring 58 is provided which tendsto hold thev catch projecting into the keeper, as indicated in Fig. 3. On its side the catch plate 53 is provided with a laterally projecting lug 59, and this lug is adapted to-be engaged by .a finger 60 on a rocker 61, said rocker being mounted to rock in bracket plates of which there are two, exactly alike, formed in the upper part of the catch head and located parallel with each other upon opposite sides ot' the catch plate.v This rocker 61 has an arm 63 which projects out over the center of the' catch as indicated. In Fig. 3 the bracket plate is partly broken away, .in order to show ,the catch 54. The catch head 51 is formed with atubular shank 64 which eX- tends vertically downward, as shown. In the lower part of thisshank 64 an inner sleeve 65 is fixed. This sleeve 65 extends downwardly, and to its lower end there is rigidly secured a tubular handle 66. Between the tubular handle 66 and the shank lge 64, a swivel 67 in the formof la sleeyeisattached. rigidly to the inner sleeve 65. This swivel has oppositely projecting pivot pins 68, and on .these pivot pins 68 insulating...

bushings69 are provided/J- On 'these bushingscontact plates 70 are' `providedwhich are held between insulating plates 71, andl tact with the 'terminals' 72 of the strands o fwthe trolley cord 26. l These contact plates -tallicA cap'79. This metallic cap isrigdlyattached to the under side of the catch'head, 51. Atsuitable' points the rings 77 and 76 are provided with/ terminals or binding posts 80' and 81, tofwhich'conductors 82' and 83 are respectively attached. These conductors attach to binding. posts 84 and85. One of'these binding post-s is in contact with the wheels which engage one ofthe trolley.

wires, and the other terminal is in metallic contact' with the wheels ',which engage the opposite' trolley wire. On the upper part of the swivel sleeve 67a rigid collar 86 Ais provided and this collar isiprovided with dowel pins 87 which pass through insulated openings in the 'arms 7 3, and also pass through the insulating plates` 71.1y On the outer ends ofth insulating bushings 69, outside clamp# ing p a es 88are provided, and the-upper portions of these plates have openings receiving the dowel, pins, as shown. The ends ofthe ypins 68 are provided with nuts 89y which clamp ,the plates 88 lin position. On. the pins 68 adjacentE toftlhe /swivel sleeve '67, a yoke 90 is provided,'an d to this yoke an -arni -91 is attached which extends rear'- wa-rdly and carries ,fa counterweight 92,- preferably in the form of a ball, as. shown. .The yoke.90 hasan inwardly extending arm 93, the forward end of which is formed into an eye 94, to which a ttlexible line or rope 95 is attached. The purpose of this/rope 95` willbe described more fully hereinafter. Referring again to? vthe shoe, ind especially to Fig. 3, within .fthe tubular shank 64:v

l provide x:yi-sliding stem 96, the upper end of which is disposed directly under the arm 63 of the rocker .61M The lower' end of this stem 96 is formed into lan enlarged head- 97 which is disposed near the lower part of the handle 66. Thev lowrlpait .of the" handle 66 is/formed into a tubular socket 98, and

this'socket 98 is adapted to receivea releas-' ing plug 99. The upper endvof this releasing plug 99 is formed into a stemv 100 which.

has a threaded engagement with the interior .of the handle 66 near the head 97 so that if vthe releasing plug is screwed into position its upper end will'strike' the head 97 and.:

raisethe stem 9 6. The purpose, of vthis ycon-y struction' is to enable the catch 54 to be -released `from below softhat theblock'tt cang be swung-upwardly on its hinge brackets 50 toward the inclined position in which 'itis indicated in Fig. 3. Inlswin'ging'the block Vupward in this' way it is disengaged from 'one of the trolley wires and rocks upon the other one. as a center, thus presenting prac'- tically less width in a horizontal plane than before' so that the block may be readily drawn downwardly-between thefwires. At

99 is a releasing plug which is formed upon the upper end of a pole, this pole being long enough, when held bya person standing on the rear platform of a car or upon the ground, to reach the handle 66. With the constructionV described above, it should be clear that the'shoe runs along on the upper side of the ,trolley wires, and each trolley wire is -metallically connected with one of vthe contact rings 77 and 78. The swivel 67 can twist on the longitudinal axis of the -tubular shank 64, so as to accommodate itself to the positions of the trolley cord' 26 this point thene is formeda swivel head which maintains a perfect metallic contact whatever may be the position of the trolley cord.

As illustrated mostclearly in Figs. 1 and 7, the strands 25 of.y the trolley cord 26 are attached to a plurality of blocks 101 -which running to the vehicle.' In other words, at4

are arranged at intermediatel points along l the'length of the cord, as shown. Thestrands lare disposed near the ends of the blocks, as shown, Vand between the strands the line or rope 95 extends. This rope 95 at a point adjacent to one ofits ends is wound Vupon the cleat 104 as indicated in Fig. 5.

The rope extends along the general, direction ofthe strands 25 of the double trolley cord 4and through the eye 103 thence back againbeing doubled upon itself and connected with the rod 30 as'sliown 'in Fig. 5.'

By releasing the line 95 from the cleat 104', thev operator may take up this line or let it out longer asdesired, and in so doing this he varies at will the distance from the cai' to the trolley shoe. 'The purpose of the op erator in vthus Varying the' distance from the car to the'shoe'niay be readily understood if it be remembered that vthe car does not run upon a' track and consequently has no definite and fixed relation to the position of the trolley wire. Asthe ca-r moves ahead, it

may move slightly' away4 from the wire tward one side or the other ofthe road.l `If now "a 'portion of the road be.rou0hand uneven the movements of the-car ylgterally to the trolleywire must increase the frictipn of the trolley shoe upon the wire ifthe shoe be close to the car for the reason that the general direction of the trolley rope may be at considerableangles from that of the trolley wire. vWhile traveling upon this part of the road the operator'should let out the rope, thereby decreasing the angles referred to. On the other hand', wherea portion of Ythe road is better, it is desirablel that the slack of the ropebe taken up. Again, it is desirable that the distance from'the shoe to the trolley be decreased in turning a short curve for the reason that by so doingctlie guiding of the shoe varound the curve by aid ofthercar-is rendered more accurate, and the friction of thetrolley upon the wire is thus diminished. The block, 101, which' is the 'uppermost of ,all the blocks 101, as indicated in Fig. 7 is arranged with the trolley strands passing through it, as indicated.

20 Beyond the loop 103 the cord 95 is attached 'c 25 uide eyes 107, and a similar guide eye 108 ,80 `eii'ect of drawing j .ductors 40 pulled upwardly.

be stated is disengaged from provided on thelblock 10P. It will be evident that by taking up the line 95., the block 101'a can be made to approach nearer `to the swivel head, which will have the the shoe nearer to the car. It should be understood that the rope 95 onstitutes a drag cord for drawing the shoe, and substantially no tension. com es 4upon the trolley cord 26 carrying the con- In this connection attention is called to the function. of the counterw'ei ht i 92. In case there should be a sudden jrk upon the drag cord, this jerk is absorbed largely by the counterweight which will be In this way the drag of the cord upon its shoe is made more constant and there is less tendency to pull the shoe oif of the wires. c In connection with the block 44, it should that the axis of rotation of the gudgeons 52 is not' directly under the center of gravityof the-block, so that the block will tend to assume' the position in which it is indicated in dotted the keeper 55. y lThe general mode of operation of the invention will now be described: In order to lace the shoe on the trolley wires, the catch 54 should `be released from the-keeper and with the block 44 in an inclined position, as

.65 sutiici'ent length, the upper .end of which pole 63 carried bythe block indicated in Fig. 3 in dotted lines. the block is passed up between the wires 48 and 49.

Contact being made .between one of the' wires and the corresponding trolley wheels 44, the block is now turned until the other trolley wheels carried by the block restupon shouldbe attached yon the end of a pole of outline if the catch 54 the other wire. Inv order to apply the shoe inthis manner it is formed int-o the plug 99 referred to above. With the block above the wires, it is then drawn downwardly'so as to seat the contactplates 45 on the wires; then the pole referred to is rotated so as to'unscrew the stem 100 from the handle 96. This will remove the pressure from the stem 96 and allow 4the spring 58 to restore the catch 54 to its normal condition. By .means of the pole the handle will then be moved so as to snap the catch 54 into the keeper. 'By means of the pole 10 which `is attached tf the lower end of the trolley cord, the trolley cord is then connected with the conductors which pass into the post from the car. The

manner of attaching the'pole and detaching the same from the post has been fully described above. When two oninibuses, cars, or similarvehicles, operating through the agency' of the trolley wires, meet each other upon their routes, it is of course impossible for the shoes of the respective vehicles to pass each ever, in order to att-ain virtually-the same effect, it is only necessary to detach the trolley poles and interchange them; for instance, the trolley pole of the car going east will be -attached'to the trolley car going'west.: The

cars mayV then proceed on their way. .The l length of the trolley cords will be sufficient to deviatelfrom their routes'sufticientlyto venablethem to pass each otheras suggested. By payingout the'drag cord, or taking up the same, n be adjusted, which changes the distance from the shoe to the car. IVh-ateverbe the direction in which the trolley-cord extends from the slice, the swivel 67 adapts itself to this position and will constant-ly maintain metallic contact at the rings 77 and 78.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. The combination of a pair of trolley wires spaced apart and substantially parallel with each other, a block adapted to tilt into an inclined position so as to be passed upwardly between saidtrolley wires, a shank monnted upon said block and extending downwardly between said trolley wires, said shank having a jointed connection with said block to facilitate tilting the latter, contact shoes carried by said'block and adapted to engage said wires, and means for locking said block to'said shank.

2. The combination of a pair of substanthe position ofthe block .101a can' tially parallel trolley wiresspaced apart, a

block movable among saidtrolley wires, a shank connected with said block and extending downwardly therefrom, the connection between said block and said shank being such as topermit the tilting ofy said block relatively to said shank in .order to'enable said block to be passed upwardly between said trolley wires, contact devices carried by said block and adapted to run upon said wires, a catch for locking said .block against rotation relatively to said shank, and means ing a shank having a catch'head at t-he upper end thereof, a block having a hinge -connection with said catch head, contact devices carried by said block adapted to engage the wires, a snap catch tor locking Said block to said shank, a spring constraining said catch to lock said block to said-catch head, a member carried by said shank engaging said catch, and means for engaging said member to release said catch.

4. A shoe of the class described, comprising in combination, a shank, a block having a hingev connection therewith and having i contact devices adapted to engage the. trolvsaid shank, said shank having a handle ley wires, means forA locking said block to,

formed therebelow, said handle being provided with a socket, a member adapted to i engage said socket, and means actuated by said member for releasing the means for .locking said block to said shank.

5. In combination, an overhead trolley conductor, a shoe runnlng on said conductor .and having a downwardly extending shank,

a swivel rotatably mounted on said shank, an electric cord connectedwith said swivel and adapted to be attached to a vehicle pros pelled by the current passing in said cord, and means for-maintaining metallic contact between said shoe and said swivel in all positions of said swivel.

6. Infcombin ation,apair of overhead trolley wires, a ,shoe running on said trolley wires and Ahaving a downwardly extending shank, a swivel rotatably mounted on said shank, a trolley cord having a pair of strands connected with said swivel, and means for maintaining metallic connect-ion between said strands and one of said trolley wires in all positions of` said swivel.

7. Ina device of the class described, vin combination, a shoe adapted to'run on a trolley wire, comprising a block, a shank extending downwardly from said block, a.

swivel mounted on said shank, an arm pivotfallyaco'nnected with said swivel, a trolley cord connected with said swivel, said arm having a counterweight, and a drag cord attached to said 'arm and adapted to pull vsaid shoe along the trolley wire,-said counvsaid contact devices in all positions of said swivel, an arm pivotally mounted on said Swivel and having a, counterweight, and a drag cord connected with said arm for pull,` Ving said shoe, said counterweight being.ar ranged ,to rise under the pullA from said drag cord.

9. ln combination, a trolley wire, a car therebelow, a shoe running o n `said trolley wire, a member in connection with said shoe presenting an eye, a drag cord forming a loo'p through said eye and adapted to be connected at its lower end to the car for dragging saidshoe, a block connected with saiddrag cord and adapted to be advanced toward said shoe or withdrawn from said shoe, anda trolley cordconnected with said .shoe and attached to said block and connectd with said car adjacent to said drag cord.

10. In combination, a trolley wire, a shoe running on said wire, a swivel mounted on.

said shoe and having an arm pivotally attached thereto, said arm having an eye near one end thereof and a counterweight opposite to said eye, a drag cord forming a loop passing through said eye, a block attached to said cord and adapted to be adjusted by said cord to or from said shoe, a trolley cord connected with said swivel and attached. to said block, means for connect-ing said' drag cord and said trolley cord at intermediate points throughout the length thereof, and means for attaching the lower ends of said drag cord and said trolley cord to the car.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES A. l Witnesses. NV. S. SINNIoKsoN, f

WILLIAM CARNEY. 

